Friday, March 30, 2012

A Little Madness in March

We started a new Bible study by Angela Thomas on Wednesday mornings. It's titled Beautiful Offering and it's a study on the Sermon on the Mount. As Johnny says, "the greatest sermon ever preached." Such a preacher kinda thing to say. It's my first study by Angela Thomas but I selected it because I so love (I know, I'm trying not to over-use the word love but I think I really do love it) the Gospel of Matthew. Johnny and I spent an entire school year in it and it gets me every time. Anyway, in the study today I came upon the following question: "Which words best describe your relationship with God right now?" There were 5 choices. I really wanted to check the last one:

running toward a God life, desperate to know Him more

But, to be completely honest, I checked the one above it:

walking towardGod, sometimes distracted

I then went back and put a check by both and wrote in the margin that I vacillate. It's true, I do. I told the following story to my Life Group this past Sunday:

Johnny and I have been trying to eat better and we're generally just trying to have a more healthy lifestyle. Most days, I do it. For lunch I have a wrap and fruit instead of a sandwich and chips. It's delicious and I like it. But, last Saturday we went to a movie and Johnny said he was getting a snack. I walked right up to the concession stand and said to the teenage guy, "I'm so excited about this." He thought it might be because we were seeing Hunger Games, the hot movie out last weekend. We weren't even seeing that movie but, instead, October Baby. So, I said (even though I know he didn't care), "No, the popcorn." What does that say about me that I was excited about popcorn? But, here's the point I was making in our class - some days I get up and I'm living that all-in follower of Christ kind of life. I'm denying self and taking up the cross daily... (Luke 9:23) and some days I'm just eating popcorn.

It's those popcorn eating days that keep me from checking the box in front of running toward a God life, desperate to know Him more.

So many things can creep in, jump in, be thrown in, that distract me from the running toward God life. Sometimes it's important things like family issues or even health matters. Sometimes it's meaningless stuff like March Madness. I made my brackets for both the men's and women's tournaments. I've followed each tournament. And, btw, I'm 100% on the Final Four on my bracket for the women even though I only got 50% for the men. (The teams I got right are Kentucky & Ohio St; I missed Louisville & Kansas. Yes, I did pick Ohio St to beat Syracuse. But, Baylor beat Kansas in the Big 12 tournament so I wasn't expecting them to beat NC)

Jessica and I are headed to Denver to watch the NCAA Women's Final Four games on Sunday and Tuesday. I'm so excited that our Baylor Lady Bears will be there. I'll be cheering them on to, hopefully, a national championship. But more than I want the Bears to win it all, I want to be desperate and passionate about my pursuit of God. It's a daily choice, a daily discipline.

Some days I'm walking and eating popcorn. I wanna be running. I like the way that feels. It really is the winning life.

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About Me

I am married to the best person I know and am the mother of three: one is married, one lives & works in Alabama and #3 is in college. I like to be outside doing just about anything as long as it's safe. I am the co-founder and Executive Director of The AIH Initiative. I also enjoy reading and cooking!